MARSHALL, Minn.- The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team (13-12 overall) defeated Minnesota State University Moorhead (9-14) 71-67 in the first NSIC Tournament game in Marshall since 2005 and first NSIC Tournament win since 2003 on Wednesday night inside the R/A Facility.
The Mustangs made 12 three-pointers on 41.4 percent shooting, while shooting 43.1 percent from the field (25-of-58). The Dragons would shoot 41.3 percent from field (26-of-63), while making six three-pointers on 37.5 percent shooting. The Mustangs would win the game from deep and on the strength of their bench, outscoring MSUM 18-7 off the bench in a game that was very even in most statistical categories.
Three Mustangs would reach double figures, led by Sadie Stelter, whose 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting and 4 of 6 from three led the team. Meleah Reinhart would finish with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while Abuk Akoi would score 11 points with four rebounds and two blocks. Jenna Borchers scored nine points on 3 of 7 shooting from deep, adding a team-high three assists.
MSUM was led by Peyton Boom, whose 30 points and 12 rebounds were game-highs.
The Mustangs opened the scoring, as Borchers would drill a three off a pass from Akoi with 9:34 to go in the first quarter. After a pair of MSUM free throws, Stelter would get to the basket and score to give the Mustangs a 5-2 lead early.
MSUM would score the next five points, but Stelter would knock down a triple to reclaim the lead at 8-7 with 7:20 to go in the first quarter.
After an MSUM two pointer, SMSU would score seven of the next 10 points to take a 15-12 lead, with Wall making a jumper and a three pointer to bookend the run.
MSUM would respond with seven of the next 10 points, and after each team would score a pair of points, took a 21-20 score into the second quarter.
SMSU would take the lead back with 5:06 to go in the half at 32-31, but a 7-0 Dragon would give them their largest lead of the night at 38-32.
The Mustangs would answer to end the half, as Reinhart would make a nearly impossible layup and finish the and-one before a Stelter three to tie the game into the locker room.
The teams would trade points for the first 7:25 of the third quarter, as Akoi would score on a jumper to take a 49-48 lead.
The crowd would play defense the final 2:35 of the quarter, forcing MSUM into tough shots at the end of shot clocks, including a shot clock violation to go with a Hannah Parsley three and Stelter layup to take a 54-50 lead, but a jumper as the third quarter expired would cut the lead in half at 54-52 into the fourth quarter.
After a MSUM three to tie the game early in the fourth, Stelter would drill a three to take the lead right back.
Every time MSUM would score, SMSU would find an answer. After a Boom layup, Reinhart would score a layup. After another Boom finish, Borchers and Akoi would each knock down a three to grow their lead to 65-58 with 4:26 to go.
Borchers would knock down another three following an MSUM three to keep their lead at seven, and after MSUM would cut their deficit to two, Stelter would deliver with a layup to lead 70-66 with 1:05 to go.
Each team would knock down a free throw to close the game with its final score.
The Mustangs will go to the Pentagon for an NSIC Tournament game for the first time in school history, playing the Minnesota State Mavericks at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26.
